Tulsa's 'man in the toilet' gets year in jail

By Justin Peters, Slate

Posted:
08/27/2013 02:05:31 PM PDT

Updated:
08/27/2013 02:10:05 PM PDT

Kenneth Webster Enlow (Tulsa County Sheriff)

NEW YORK — When last we encountered Kenneth Webster Enlow, the Oklahoma man was reeking of human waste and facing peeping-Tom charges after he was discovered inside the holding tank of a park toilet, staring up at the unsuspecting female toilet-users above. Enlow claimed that the whole thing was a misunderstanding, and that he had been knocked unconscious and dumped inside the toilet by his angry, devious girlfriend. This was a horrible alibi for many reasons, not least because, according to Enlow's friends, his girlfriend had been dead since last year. (His friends also noted that they weren't particularly surprised when Enlow was found in the septic tank, which strikes me as one of the saddest things I've ever heard.)

Eventually, inevitably, Enlow realized that his excuse wouldn't stand up in court, and last week he pleaded guilty to misdemeanor peeping. He was sentenced to a year in jail, and I can only imagine the sort of razzing he will receive once his fellow inmates discover the reason for his incarceration. It's obvious that Enlow deserves some jail time. But for some reason I can't help feeling sorry for the guy. Multiple stories indicate that Enlow has an alcohol problem. He'd previously been arrested for public intoxication, and friends told KJRH-TV that Enlow "has a history of unusual behavior, especially when alcohol is involved." I just cannot imagine that a sober man would ever decide to immerse himself inside a disgusting vault toilet. Here's hoping that Enlow gets the treatment and counseling he needs.